Invalid lift and transfer apparatus



Oct. 11, 1966 J. N. WAUTHIER 3,277,502

INVALID LIFT AND TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 11, 1966 N. WAUTHIER 3,277,502

INVALID LIFT AND TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV E NTOR Jean War/Earl Wau f/zz'zr United States Patent 3,277,502 INVALID LIFT AND TRANSFER APPARATUS Jean Norbert Wauthier, Marly-les-Valenciennes, France, assignor to Raymond Gruyelle, Marcq-en-Baroeul, Nord, France Filed Sept. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 399,284 Claims priority, application France, Oct. 2, 1963, 18,285 7 Claims. (Cl. -81) My invention has for its object an apparatus which allows any one, even a youth, to raise alone on his seat an invalid, to convey said invalid and to seat him again on the same or any other seat or on the same seat and possibly to give a certain hygienic assistance to him. This is of interest chiefly when the invalid cannot use his legs and uses his arms only with difficulty.

According to my invention, a flat pedestal the horizontal projection of which is U-shaped and which is carried by rolling members of a reduced height adapted to be automatically set angularly so as to allow shifting the pedestal in any desired direction and in particular to insert the arms of the- U underneath a bed or else to either side of ordinary or conventional seats such as chairs, armchairs, night-chairs or the like, said arms being spaced sufliciently apart for the purpose.

According to a further object of my invention, a stationary cross-member connects the heads of two uprights rigidly secured to the corresponding arms of the U-shaped pedestal and to said cross member two bell cranks are pivotally secured one arm of each crank terminating with a concave member adapted to be .inserted underneath the arm-pit of the patient to be raised while the other arm of each crank is connected to a link pivotally secured in its turn to a further cross member carrying two control levers pivoting each on the upper end of the corresponding 'upright while the ends of said levers are rigidly interconnected by a transverse bar which allows controlling simultaneously both levers; the further cross member to which said links are pivotally secured is secured to said control levers at a distance from their pivotal points on the uprights such that said further cross member lies at the end of the operative stroke of the control levers on the inside of the vertical plane passing through the pivotal connections of the levers with the uprights, whereby the weight of the invalid carried by the concave members has a tendency to hold the control levers in contact with their terminal abutment.

Furthermore, according to a still further object of the invention, the head'of each upright of the frame is provided with stops for the control levers, which stops are adapted to hold said control levers in their upper extreme positions corresponding to the lowermost position of the bell cranks terminating with concave members engaging the arm-pits of the invalid.

According to a still further feature of my invention,

each upright head is provided with a handle adapted to the bulk of the invalid to be raised and conveyed.

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention, the arms of the U-shaped pedestal are pivotally secured to vertical axes so as to allow an adjustment of their spacing while a cooperating lever controls said arms through the agency of auxiliary links. Thus, it is possible to bring the apparatus near a seat, whatever maybe the "ice bulk of the latter, either by moving the arms of the U- shaped pedestal apart so as to make them pass to either side of said seat or else by moving them towards each other so as to make them pass underneath the seat.

According to a modification of my invention, the apparatus is entirely disconnectable, the vertical uprights being secured removably to the pedestal while the pivotal connections are constituted by locking pins. Said arrangement allows an easy packaging or storing of the apparatus.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically and by way of nonlimiting examples two embodiments of my invention.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a view from above of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. '1,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus during operation,

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the upper part of the apparatus, the concave members adapted to be positioned underneath the arm pits of the invalid being shown in their lower position,

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a partial view from underneath of the pedestal of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 illustrates the means securing the removable vertical uprights to the pedestal.

Turning to FIGS. 1 to 4, the flat pedestal is given in practice the shape of a U of which the two arms 1 and 2 are interconnected by two girders 3 and 4 which are close to each other and which may be advantageously constituted by U-shaped members. Said pedestal is carried by rolling members of a reduced height, preferably constituted by castor wheels 5, 6, 7 and 8 so that it is possible to make said pedestal run over the ground and to give it the desired angular position with a view to engaging the arms 1 and 2 underneath a bed for instance or else to either side of a seat.

- To said pedestal are rigidly secured t-wo uprights 9 and 10 advantageously constituted by a tube welded to the arms 1 and 2 which are securely held in position by stay plates 11 and 12 as clearly shown in the drawings.

To the upper end of each upright, there are secured on the one hand a bracket 13 on upright 9 and 14 on upright 10 extending in the direction of the arms 1 and 2 and on the other hand a bracket 15 on upright 9 and 16 on upright 10 extending in the opposite direction, said brackets 15 and 16 being recessed so as to form, to the front of the apparatus, handles 17 and 18 adapted to be grasped by the operator. These handles 17 and 18'allow taking hold of the apparatus and controlling its movements.

Between the brackets 13 and 14 is secured a cross member 19 of a circular cross section which serves not only as a stay between said brackets, but also as a pivot for two bell cranks 20 and 21 the arms of each of which are held in the desired angular position by a reinforcing web 22 advantageously associated therewith.

The outer arm of each bell crank facing the same direction as the arms of the pedestal terminates with a concave member 23 on bell crank 20 and 24 on bell crank 21 adapted to be set underneath the corresponding arm pit of the invalid to be raised, while the other arm of each bell crank is pivotally secured to a link 25 on bell crank 20 and 26, on bell crank 21, which link is in its turn pivotally secured to a further cross member 27. To the latter are pivotally connected two levers 28 and 29 pivotally secured at 30 and 31 respectively on the brackets 15 and 16 carried by the corresponding uprights. Said two levers 28 and 29 are rigidly interconnected at their outer ends by a further control bar 32 adapted to shift them simultaneously.

According to my invention, .the two levers 28 and 29 are bent and are designed in a manner such that the cross-member 27 interconnecting them and to WhlCh are pivotally secured the links 25 and 26 may lie at the end of the operative movement of the control levers as illustrated in FIG. 1 beyond the vertical plane defined by the pivots 30 and 3.1.

Said arrangement is of interest because the weight of the invalid carried by the concave members 23 and 24 has a tendency to urge the control levers 28 and 29 in the direction of the arrow 32' (FIG. 1); in other words, it

' urges said levers against the girder 4 of the pedestal which to hold the corresponding bell crank or link in a suitable well-defined position corresponding to the bulk of the invalid person to be considered.

In the preferred modification of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the pedestal 45 is substantially rectangular and to the underside of said pedestal 45,

the arms 1' and 2' are pivotally secured round vertical taxes 46, which arms rest on the castor wheels 5, 6 and 7, 8. Each arm 1-2 is welded to a strap 47 to which a link 49 is pivotally secured at 48. The other end of each link 49 is pivotally secured at 50 to a common member 51, of an angular shape in the case illustrated, which is rigid with a vertical rod 52. Said rod 52 extends through the pedestal 45 and terminates at its upper end with a control handle 53. Upon operating said handle, the links 49 are actuated and this results, according to the direction of operation of the rod 52 in a shifting of the arms 1', 2', carrying the pedestal, towards and away from each other. I

To .the pedestal 45 are secured, rigidly as illustrated in FIG. or removably as illustrated in FIG. 7, the two vertical uprights 8 and 9. In the case Where said uprights 8 and 9 are rigid with the pedestal, struts or stay plates 11-12 are required. In the case where they are removable and with a view to allowing the dismantling of the apparatus, deep channel-shaped shoes 54 are rigidly secured to the pedestal through welding. When dismantling completely the apparatus, it is necessary for the pivotal axes .to be removable, their holding fast in position being ensured, when assembling the apparatus, by keys or pins which are not illustrated.

To the upper end of each upright 9 and 10, is secured a tubular bracket 15 and 16 respectively of an elongated shape and carrying each at its front end, a corresponding grip or handle, 17 and 18 respectively.

Flat iron members 55 and 56, associated so as to form a T-shape system, stay each bracket and form a bearing for the pivotal axes 30 and 31 of the control levers 28 and 29 and for the pivotal axes 19 of the cross member 19.

Said cross member 19 serves as a support for the bell cranks 20-21 which carry the concave members 23-24 serving as bearings for the armpits of the invalid person to be conveyed.

In the embodiments described, each concave member may be provided, as illustrated in FIG. 5, with a loop 57 extending downwardly so as not to injure the invalid to be conveyed and to which is secured one end of a removable cloth strap 58. The latter which is adapted to pass underneath the buttocks of the invalid person is used optionally and serves only so as to give confidence to the invalid or else so as to make his conveyance over a long distance easier.

In FIG. 5, the operation which is the same for both embodiments is illustrated diagrammatically and it consists in raising an invalid 43 sitting on a chair 44. For such a raising of the invalid, the apparatus is set through the handles 17-18 -or 17 -48 so as to make the arms 1 and 2 of the pedestal engage either side of the chair 44. Obviously, it is possible to resort to the same apparatus tor raising a patient sitting on the edge of a bed and, in

this case, the arms 1 and 2 of the pedestal are caused to pass underneath the bed after which the concave members 23 and 24 are inserted under the armpits of the patient whose feet are brought onto the girders 3 and 4.or on the pedestal 45 according to the case, while the hands of the patient rest simply on the cross member 19. The control bar 32 being then actuated, the two levers 28 and 29 are depressed simultaneously and the invalid is thus raised off his seat.

As already mentioned, when the two levers 28 and 29 abut against the girder 4, the cross member 27 has moved beyond the vertical plane passing through the pivots 30 and 31 of the levers and the weight of the raised patient automatically locks the raising apparatus in the position assumed by it.

The handles 17-18 and 17 -118 allow moving the V apparatus to make it run over its castor wheels so as to bring the patient 43 at any suitable point ofthe premises, either above another seat or else above a night chair or again over another bed, and it is then sufficient to raise the two levers 28 and 29 so as to seat the patient 43 on the selected chair or bed in an extremely smooth manner.

The stops 33 and 34 hold automatically the levers in position if they are released untimely by the operator.

It is preferable to cover the two adjacent girders 3 and 4 or the pedestal 45 with an anti skid carpet of rubber or the like material and to cover also the concave members 23 and 24 by means of a sheath of sponge rubber or the like of a thickness of about 15 mm.

Obviously, my invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated and various other embodiments may be devised without widening the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for raising an invalid oflf a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two parallel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member,

provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point,

laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position, at-the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levers bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke.

2. An apparatus for raising an invalid off a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two parallel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding arm-pit of the invalid, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member and a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levels bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke and stops carried by the upper ends of the uprights and adapted to engage and arrest the control levers at the end of the invalid-lowering stroke of the bell cranks.

3. An apparatus for raising an invalid Off a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two parallel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding armpit of the invalid, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member and a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalidraising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other end of said control levers bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke and an apparatus pushing and steering handle on each upright.

4. An apparatus for raising an invalid ofi a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two parallel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member at adjustable points of the latter, rings slidably carried by said first cross member, screws carried by said rings to to clamp same at the desired points of the first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding armpit of the invalid, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member and a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levers hearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke.

5. An apparatus for raising an invalid off a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substan tially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two paral lel arms pivotally secured to said body round vertical axes, means controlling simultaneously the angular position of said arms with reference to the body to adjust the spacing of the outer ends of said arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding armpit of the invalid, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member and a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levers bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke.

6. An apparatus for raising an invalid off a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two paral lel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights carried by the outer ends of the arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding armpit of the invalid, a longitudinally adjustable strap removably secured to the underside of the concave supports, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member an a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remotefrom said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levers bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke.

7. An apparatus for raising an invalid ofi a seat and conveying him onto another seat, comprising a substantially U-shaped pedestal including a body and two parallel arms, means carrying said pedestal to allow it to run in all directions, two uprights removably carried by the outer ends of the arms, removable means locking the uprights in position on said arms, a first cross member interconnecting the upper ends of the uprights, two pivoting bell cranks the apices of which are carried by said first cross member, a concave support rigid with one end of each bell crank and adapted to be set underneath the corresponding armpit of the invalid, a further cross member parallel to the first cross member, links connecting pivotally the other ends of the bell cranks with said further cross member and a control lever pivotally secured to each upright at one end by a stationary pivot on said upright and the other end of which forms a grip, said control levers being each provided near said one end with a bent section pivotally connected with said 'further cross member at a point, laterally spaced from said stationary pivot, said control levers being pivotable about said stationary pivots, during an invalid-raising stroke, from a position in which said further cross member lies on the side of the vertical plane defined by said stationary pivots remote from said concave supports, to a position at the end of said stroke in which said further cross member lies on the side of said vertical plane adjacent to said concave supports, said other ends of said control levers bearing against said pedestal body at the end of said stroke whereby to arrest said stroke.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,119 -5/ 1934 Ettinger 589 2,404,734 7/1946 Lenahan 586 2,542,963 2/1951 Knox et a1 586 2,792,052 5/1957 Johanesen 586 X 2,914,110 11/1959 Schulte 581 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

'CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

R. D. KRA-US, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AN INVALID OFF A SEAT AND CONVEYING HIM ONTO ANOTHER SEAT, COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED PEDESTAL INCLUDING A BODY AND TWO PARALLEL ARMS, MEANS CARRYING SAID PEDESTAL TO ALLOW IT TO RUN IN ALL DIRECTIONS, TWO UPRIGHTS CARRIED BY THE OUTER ENDS OF THE ARMS, A FIRST CROSS MEMBER INTERCONNECTING THE UPPER ENDS OF THE UPRIGHTS, TWO PIVOTING BELL CRANKS THE APICES OF WHICH ARE CARRIED BY SAID FIRST CROSS MEMBER, A CONCAVE SUPPORT RIGID WITH ONE END OF EACH BELL CRANK AND ADAPTED TO BE SET UNDERNEATH THE CORRESPONDING ARMPIT OF THE INVALID, A FURTHER CROSS MEMBER PARALLEL TO THE FIRST CROSS MEMBER, LINKS CONNECTING PIVOTALLY THE OTHER ENDS OF THE BELL CRANKS WITH SAID FURTHER CROSS MEMBER AND A CONTROL LEVEL PIVOTALLY SECURED TO EACH UPRIGHT AT ONE END BY A STATIONARY PIVOT ON SAID UPRIGHT AND THE OTHER END OF WHICH FORMS A GRIP, SAID CONTROL LEVERS BEING EACH PROVIDED NEAR SAID ONE END WITH A BENT SECTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID FURTHER CROSS MEMBER AT A POINT, 